Fate of the Cloudrider
by Lexington's Hammer
Summary: MAJOR AU Jedi Knight Derek Skypin and his friend and partner Jedi Master Sarin Virgillio have been given the task of negotiating a peace treaty between the New Republic and an Imperial Warlord, but things don't go well. Please R&R!


**Background**: This is just an offshoot of mine (and is extremely AU) using characters from the game Star Wars Rebellion. In the game I had eight Jedi Knights beside Luke Skywalker and that is where I got all the names, except Derek Skypin; I made him up for this story completely.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Star Wars Universe. It belongs to George Lucas and the other authors who have expanded on his creation. Most of these characters come from the Star Wars Rebellion game, only Derek Skypin do I claim as mine.

**Chapter 1:**

Sitting in meditation room of the New Republic warship the _Cloudrider_,the bright tunnel of hyperspace slowly twisting ahead of the Corellian Corvette, Jedi Knight Derek Skypin sat in a Jedi relaxing trance; beside him, also in his own trance, sat his long time friend, mentor, and partner Jedi Master Sarin Virgillio.

Sarin Virgillio was twelve years Derek's senior and had been a Jedi since he was 23 years old. Sarin was one of the eight Jedi Trainees that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker had secretly trained at the height of the Galactic Civil War with the Empire to aide the New Republic in its fight to liberate the galaxy. Together with the other seven Jedi Knights who made up the next generation of the Jedi Order, including Master Skywalker's own sister, these new Jedi had helped hasten the downfall of then mighty Empire to the very much reduced Imperial Remnant that was now negotiating a cease-fire with diplomats from the New Republic, including Jedi Master Leia Organa-Solo.

Master Virgillio was a well-respected Jedi Master in the New Republic's New Jedi Order and had been the one responsible for bringing Derek into the Jedi Order when he found him in the Zeltros System 19 years ago and had brought Derek, then 17 years old, to be trained as a Jedi. Master Skywalker had seen the father-son relationship that had formed between Sarin and Derek and since Derek's ascension to Jedi Knight six years ago and since then he had placed them on many missions together throughout the galaxy.

Derek prepared himself for the coming mission by going over the briefing Master Leia Organa-Solo had given them before they left the New Jedi Temple, built on the ruins of the original, on Coruscant in his mind to refresh his memory: _"Master Virgillio, you and Jedi Skypin are being sent to negotiate a cease-fire between the forces of Grand Admiral Klev and the New Republic. Recently Klev's attacks have been hitting major trading and outposts on worlds near our boarders with the Empire. He claims that he is still a loyal servant of the Empire, yet he refuses to end his raids even with the New Republic and the Empire negotiating their cease fire."_

"_Is this our first attempt at making diplomatic contact with Klev?" asked Sarin._

"_Our last diplomatic party was arrested after they wouldn't compromise under Klev's threats," Derek felt Master Organa-Solo's normally calm emotions flared in anger through the Force, "Klev then refused to release them to us and transferred them to one of his many political penal colonies that he has scattered throughout his realm."_

_Master Organa-Solo regained her composure as she continued, "Master Andrimetrum returned from an operation to freed the group from the prison they were on a two weeks ago; they also destroyed the base Klev's forces had been using._

"_Chief of State Mon Mothma has been asked us to send Jedi as the New Republic's ambassadors this time," Master Organa-Solo's lips quirked in a slight grin, "I'm sure Klev will find that you two are much harder to threaten into agreeing with his wishes._

"_You will rendezvous with Admiral Klev's flagship, the _Invincible_, on the Corellian Corvette named _Cloudrider_ commanded by Captain…"_

Derek's beeping comlink interrupted his thoughts as he activated it, "Skypin here."

_Cloudrider_'s Captain's voice came through smooth and calm, "Jedi Skypin, Master Virgillio and you are requested on the bridge for our arrival at the rendezvous point; we'll be arriving in 15 minutes."

Derek rose to his feet and saw Sarin do the same out of the corner of his eye. "We're on our way." Derek deactivated the comlink and put it back on his belt; he then followed Sarin into the meditation room's personal turbolift to the bridge.

As they entered the turbolift Derek to a deep breath and Sarin chuckled, "Relax Derek, if I didn't know better I'd say that you were nervous about this mission."

Derek gave Sarin an amused look, "You I'm not nervous, Sarin. It's just that millions, if not billions, of lives depend on how well these negotiations go and I'm not sure if I'm up to it; you know that I haven't really had any diplomatic training since what my time in the Jedi Temple, not many Jedi have since until now with the war finally starting to come to and end. From the reports I've read on Grand Admiral Klev he is supposed to be very stubborn and if he doesn't like what we say a lot of people could die; the amount of resources he has at his disposal could cause a real problem for the Republic if these negotiations go bad. Then to make matters worse there's are those reports of a Dark Jedi leading one of Klev's more recent raids on our outposts around the Garqi System."

Sarin glanced at the younger man, "Just relax Derek, trust the Force, and everything will work out." Sarin gave Derek a sly grin, "Besides what are you worried about with Klev being stubborn, you're more stubborn that he could ever dream of being."

Derek gave Sarin a mock frown, "Very funny Sarin. Nice try at changing the subject though, or do reports of Dark Jedi resurfacing not bother you?"

Sarin sighed, "Derek I've read those reports and nothing says anything about a Dark Jedi leading the raids."

Derek shook his head vigorously, "Come on Sarin, Master Snunb inspected the casualties and damages to the Gargi Outpost himself and he reported that several of the wounded claim they saw someone leading the Imperial forces and wielding lightsaber."

Sarin raised an eyebrow, "Even if Master Snunb was correct, several of those wounded were near the point of delusion from their injuries, plus if a Dark Jedi was responsible for the attack why has he only come forward now with the Empire nearly defeated. If he had wanted to he could have entered the Empire and made himself a new Emperor."

Sarin forestalled Derek's reply by giving the younger Jedi a stern look, "That was not another opening to bring the subject up again; now Jedi Skypin, we will focus on the mission and talk about this when there are less pressing matters at hand."

Derek was going to argue the point, despite Sarin's warning tone, but the formality in Sarin's last sentence combined with the turbolift door's opening made him decide against it. Quietly Derek calmed down, "Yes, Master."

Sarin whispered amusedly to him as they walked onto _Cloudrider_'s bridge, "Besides, if there is a Dark Jedi in Klev's camp he couldn't have picked a worse pair of Jedi to mess with, right?"

Derek chuckled as the Sullustan Captain Neva turned to greet them, his face curved in a smile, "Ah, Master Virgillio," he nodded in Derek's direction, "Jedi Skypin. Thank you for being so quick."

Sarin nodded, "This first meeting will give us an idea of how much Klev has changed since we last dealt with him and to see Klev's reaction to you delivering another diplomatic party," he dropped his voice slightly, "Remember don't tell him that the ambassadors are going to be Jedi."

The Sullustan captain nodded as his blinked his large black eyes, "Of course, Master Jedi."

A crewman walked up and waited for Neva to acknowledge him before speaking, "Captain Neva, we have thirty seconds till we exit hyperspace."

Neva nodded, "Thank you," he turned to Sarin and Derek, "If you will excuse me, I have an Imperial Grand Admiral chat with." He gave a slight bow and turned the front of the bridge and gave Sarin and Derek a little privacy.

Moments later _Cloudrider_ dropped out of hyperspace and dead ahead of them was the _Invincible_, but Klev's flagship took the entire bridge crew by surprise, making more than a few people gulp nervously.

Derek couldn't help but join them slightly as he identified the massive warship that hung in space beyond the bridge viewport. Klev was one of the most secretive officers left in the Empire and despite Republic Intelligence's best efforts they had been unable to get proof of what class of ship the Grand Admiral commanded or where she docked in between missions. What little information they had received had lead them to believe that Klev's flagship had been a Imperial Star Destroyer named _Invincible_.

Intelligence had been partly right.

Instead of an Imperial Star Destroyer Grand Admiral Klev had found a Super Star Destroyer to serve as his flagship, one the most dangerous, and largest, warships to ever be built, even now with its design at close to a decade old there were few warships that could compare to the might represented in this one ship.

The communications officer looked up to Captain Neva, "Sir we are being hailed." Derek noticed that the communications officer looked slightly pale. No wonder, just the thought of what the _Invincible_ could do to a ship as small as the _Cloudrider_ was a frightening to think about.

"On the view screen, please," Neva said calmly.

Admiral Klev's holographic figure appeared before the Sullustan Captain in a white Grand Admiral's uniform, "Greetings, I am Grand Admiral Klev of the Imperial warship _Invincible_. May I ask who am I addressing?"

Captain Neva stared at the Admiral through large, round black eyes, "I am Captain Neva, master of the Corellian Corvette, _Cloudrider_. My ship and I have ambassadors from the New Republic to be brought over to your ship, Admiral."

Derek noticed interest and a little surprise flash across Klev's face, though it was quickly cut off by rigid military discipline. "Of course, just tell me how many personal and how many ships to expect and I will begin my planning to welcome them."

Derek suppressed a snort in amusement at how Klev so obviously was trying to gain information to make plans to deal with the team of diplomats in a way similar to last time.

Sarin must have been thinking the same thing or felt how Derek was feeling because he spoke to the younger Jedi through the Force, _Let him create as many plans as he wants now Derek, but once he discovers that we are Jedi Knights his plans will be worthless. By letting him make plans, as such, we can further take him off guard._

Derek nodded slowly, "Exactly what I was thinking Master."

Captain Neva approached the two Jedi, having finished talking with Klev and ended the transmission before he spoke to them, "Grand Admiral Klev said he will be ready to receive you at 14:00 hours Master Virgillio; until then I will see that your shuttle is fully prepared and in the best possible shape for the mission, if you'll excuse me Master Jedi." With a slight respectful bow of his head to both Sarin and Derek the _Cloudrider_'s Captain boarded a turbolift at the back of the bridge and was whisked away to the docking ring where Sarin's and Derek's shuttle had been ferried through hyperspace.

Sarin closed his eyes and Derek felt him reach out to the Destroyer in front of them with the Force. After a few moments he opened his eyes and glanced at Derek, "Tell me Derek, do you feel anything on board that ship that is using the Dark Side of the Force, let alone a Dark Jedi?"

Derek reached out with the Force and felt the beings on the Destroyer. He felt the steady thrum of the living Force as it pulsed through the thousands of living beings on board the _Invincible_, he even could detect the unfeeling energy of the countless number of droids that serviced the massive warship, but besides the natural flow of the Force that resulted from life itself he could not detect anything actually using the Force, the Light or Dark Side of it..

Reluctantly Derek opened his eyes and looked at Sarin, "No, I don't feel any Dark Jedi or Dark Side users. However, at this distance any Force user who had any amount of skill would be able to mask there Force presence from such a simple probe, especially if there is a Dark Jedi they would need to be specifically skilled in that area to avoid the Jedi as we are now returning to the Galaxy."

Sarin's shoulders slumped in mock surrender, "You will not just let this thing go will you?"

Derek laughed, "Nope sorry Master; remember you're the one who told me never to ease up when the opposing side doesn't have a strong defense."

Sarin gave Derek a glare, "Why is it that you only remember things I taught you for the sole purpose of annoying me? Does it give some short of amusement?"

Derek shrugged, "About as much amusement as when I first used the Force to spill your dinner tray onto your lap as a Padawan. Besides which would you rather, I remember things so I can annoy you, or not remember anything at all?"

Sarin gave Derek a glance, "Well I'm returning to the meditation room; I wish to get more rest before the mission at hand and center myself before we meet with Klev. Will you be joining me again?"

Derek shook his head, "No, I think I'll get a meal in the mess hall first, then join you for some remote training or maybe we could spar."

Sarin nodded, "Yes, I haven't given you a good thrashing recently have I Derek? I shall see you soon." Sarin gave Derek a sly grin, then entered into the turbolift had arrived.

Derek chuckled as he watched Sarin's turbolift disappear, and gave his head a slight shake before entering another turbolift headed for the dining hall.


End file.
